Living LifeWise: The Unmerciful Servantಮಾದರಿ

When my kids were little, we’d go to the park near our house to play before bedtime. One evening, I watched from a bench as my youngest son tried to climb the ladder to the slide. He wrapped his forearm and elbow through the bar, stubbornly refusing to drop the action figure in one hand and a newly-discovered shiny rock in the other. He struggled to get a good grip, almost made it halfway up, then slipped back down. He tried again with the same result. Finally, I came beside him and said, “I see you want to get up that ladder. But first, you need to let go of these things.”

How often do we hold onto things we need to surrender to the Lord? How many times have we withheld forgiveness from those who have hurt us? Jesus addresses unforgiveness as He finishes this parable.

The king, who had shown incredible mercy, discovered that his servant refused to extend the same mercy to someone else. Because of his unforgiveness, the servant was handed over to be punished. It’s a hard picture, but it reminds us that unforgiveness holds us captive. We can’t experience the full joy of God’s mercy if we insist on holding on to bitterness, anger, or the desire for revenge.

But here’s the good news: when we forgive, we live in freedom. Letting go doesn’t excuse the hurt or mean that what happened was okay. It means trusting God with the pain and choosing to reflect His mercy, even when it’s hard. Jesus paid our unpayable debt. When we live with open hands—ready to forgive, ready to extend grace—we show the world what His love looks like in action.

Jesus calls us to live forgiven and free. Forgiveness is rarely easy, but it’s always possible when we rely on the Spirit of God to do in us what we can’t do on our own.

Reflect: Read Matthew 18:33-34. Consider how the servant’s unforgiveness led to bondage. Reflect on what it would look like for you to live in the freedom that comes from forgiving others as Christ forgave you.

• How does holding on to anger or resentment keep you from experiencing God’s peace?
• What would it look like to fully release someone from a debt you’ve been holding over them?
• How can you make forgiveness a daily choice, not just a one-time decision?

Pray: Pray for God to help you release any bitterness or unforgiveness you’ve been holding onto and to give you a heart that forgives as freely and fully as He has forgiven you.